Talking of Michaelangelo
by Eurydice
Summary: Another TWW/SN Crossover, celebrating SN's third anniversary.
1. The Invitation

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belong to me, except Liv

_Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belong to me, except Liv.If you haven't read two of my other fanfics, namely "Barricade" and "Simply Unpredictable," this story might be a little confusing to you.Read on, intrepid souls._

[Scene: The Oval Office]

[Josh, Donna, Charlie, President Bartlet]

[Bartlet is sitting behind his desk, reading glasses on, looking over a piece of paper in his hand.He looks amused, but also looks as though he's trying to hide the fact that he's amused.Josh and Donna approach the open door; Josh knocks perfunctorily and they enter.]

Josh: Good morning, Mr. President.

Donna: Good morning, sir.

Bartlet: [removing his reading glasses] Good morning.[He hands Josh the paper and stands, watching them with a slight smile.After a moment, Josh begins reading.]

Josh [reading]: Dear Mr. President, we're not sure you'll get this letter, you probably get about a thousand letters a day, but we're writing in hopes that just maybe ours will go through.[Looks up.] Sir, what is this?

Donna: I'm pretty sure you'll find out if you keep reading.

Josh; The suspense is killing me.[Reading.]Since you invited us to your fundraiser last year in Baltimore, which, by the way, was very nice of you, we thought we'd invite you to a get-together we're having in honor of the 3rd anniversary of our show… [pauses, smiles] Sports Night. [Donna chuckles.] Of course, you can bring whomever you like, you being the President and all.We don't really expect you to even get this, so we'll be surprised but terribly honored if we see you there.The information is at the bottom of the page.Yours respectfully, Casey McCall and Dan Rydell.

Bartlet: One of the people who read my mail thought this would amuse me.I have to admit she was right.[Josh hands him back the letter, and he walks over to the window.]However, I very much doubt I will be in attendance.

Donna: At least they were polite, sir.

Bartlet: Oh yes.You've met these people, correct?

Josh: Yes, sir.

Bartlet: I do like their show.It's entertaining.

Donna: So are they, sir.

Bartlet: Is that right?

Donna: They're very unusual.

Bartlet: Why does that not surprise me?

Josh: Do you want me to tell them you won't be coming, sir?

Bartlet: I think you should go in place of me.We'll see if Leo can't give you up for a night.

Josh: That's… very nice of you, sir.

Bartlet: That letter put me in a good mood, I'm gonna try and be amused for the rest of the day.

Josh: That might be hard with your schedule.

Bartlet: Naysayer.

Donna: Go for it, sir.

Bartlet: I will, Donna, I will.[Bellowing.] Charlie!

[Charlie enters.]

Charlie: Yes, sir?

Bartlet: I want you to keep in mind that I am going to be amused for the rest of the day, so if I say something particularly witty, don't be surprised.

Charlie: I never am, sir.

Bartlet: I don't pay you to suck up to me, Charlie.

Charlie: I'm not sure that's true, sir.

Bartlet: You're probably right.

[Scene: In the hallways of the West Wing {I don't know if there's a technical term for this}]

[Sam, Josh, Donna, Ginger, the usual bunches of people in the hallways]

[Josh and Donna are heading away from the Oval Office.]

Josh: I'm looking forward to this, they're sports guys, they'll probably have, you know, cool sports people there.

Donna: That would stand to reason.

Josh: That probably doesn't excite you.

Donna: Not as much as the prospect that there may be cheesecake.

Josh: That's sad.

[Sam crosses in front of them.]

Sam: Hey, guys.

Josh: Hey, Sam.Hey, guess where we're going?

Sam: Your office?

Josh: No, in a week and a half.

Sam: Madagascar.

Josh: Not quite.

Sam: Because I remember something about Leo saying that if you didn't get out of his hair, he would personally ship you to Madagascar.

Josh: I thought he was talking to Margaret just then.

Sam: No, he was talking to you.

Josh: Huh.

Donna: I'll give you a hint.

Sam: I'm all a-twitter.

Donna: It's in this country.

Sam: That narrows it down.

Josh: New York.Do you know what we're going to do there?

Sam: Ice skate in Rockefeller Center?

Josh: You're really not into this whole 'guessing' thing, are you?

Sam: Not really.

Josh: We're going to a party.

Donna: Do you know what we are going to do at this party?

Sam: I can only imagine.

Donna: We are going to boogie.

Sam: I wish you hadn't said that.  
Josh: Me, too.

Donna [ignoring them]: And do you know what I'm going to wear when we do this?

Sam: Please don't tell me, Donna.

Donna: Do you know what I'm going to wear?

Sam: Donna-

Donna [singing]: My-my-my-my-my boogie shoes…

Sam: She told me.

Josh: I know.Guess who's throwing the party?

Sam: You guys, I wish I could join you in this fun game of yours, but-

Josh: Dan Rydell and Casey McCall.

[Sam stops walking; a moment later, Josh and Donna do the same.Josh and Donna smile slowly.]

Sam: What?

Josh: 3rd anniversary of Sports Night.

Donna: They invited the President, he can't go, so we can go instead.

Sam: What, are you his favorites now or something?

Josh: We've always been his favorites.

Donna: Come with us, Sam.

[Ginger walks by.]

Sam: Ginger, tell Toby I need to talk to him.

[Scene: Dan and Casey's office]

[Dan, Casey, Sally]

[Blank screen]

Dan [VO]: Made a little bet.

Casey: Oh?

[Fade up.Dan and Casey are trying to write, but it isn't really happening.It's the day of the party.]

Dan: Made a little bet with Sally.

Casey: What bet?

Dan: Bet her fifty bucks that I know important people in Washington.

Casey: Well, you'd win if you could only prove it.

Dan: In fact, I bet her that she would meet them at the party.

Casey: You may very well lose this bet.

Dan: You remember that letter we wrote to the President?

Casey: You mean the letter _you wrote?_

Dan: Your name's on it too.

Casey: Great.

Dan: I got a good feeling about it.

Casey: Great, so, not only are we going to have an insane amount of people in this office already, if your prediction comes true, we'll have that plus about ninety Secret Service agents.

Dan: And I told him to bring whoever he wanted.

Casey: And you say you've got a good feeling about this?

Dan: Yeah, Sally's gonna lose her shirt.[Sally appears in the doorway.]And I hope to God I didn't mean that literally.

Sally: Good to see you too, Dan![She sits on the edge of Casey's desk.Casey does a very good job of not looking at her.]How are you doing, Casey?

Casey: Just fine, Sally, I'm trying to write the show.

Sally: It doesn't write itself.

Casey: Not today it doesn't.

Dan: Especially not with extraneous blonde people in the room.

Sally: You wound me, Dan.

Dan: If only, Sally.

Sally [standing]: I just came by to tell you that Calvin Trager is coming to the party tonight.

[Casey and Dan look up in surprise.]

Casey: The mega-rich guy who owns the station is going to be here tonight?

Dan: The mega-rich guy who owns the station to whom we owe our very jobs is going to be here tonight?

Sally: Yep.[She heads for the door.]All bets are on, Dan.

Dan: You betcha.[Offers a very thin smile.Sally turns to Casey.]

Sally: Save me a dance, Casey?

Casey: If I can fit you in.[Sally smiles and leaves.]

Dan: Hey Casey, feel that?

Casey: [looks around] Feel what?

Dan: You don't feel it?

Casey: It's a little chilly in here, if that's what you mean…

Dan: That is the feeling of a Sally-free room. [Casey laughs.]The hot air, the blatant sexual overtones… all gone!

Casey: But you're not hostile.

Dan: I am the picture of unhostility.

Casey: Yes.

Dan: Don't dance with her, Casey.

Casey: I'll try.

Dan: You know who you should dance with?

Casey: Who?

Dan: President Josiah Bartlet.

Casey: I hear he prefers Jed.

Dan: From you, he'd probably prefer Mr. President.

[Scene: Various hallways in the studio]

[Dana, Natalie, Elliot, Isaac, various people Dana yells at]

[Dana has a clipboard and is very distracted as Natalie speaks to her.During this whole scene, Dana, with Natalie at her heels, is moving throughout the studio very, very quickly.]

Natalie: There should be fruit.

Dana: Fruit?

Natalie: We're going to have all these weird little fingerfoods, like itty-bitty sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and pigs in a blanket, and cheese on toothpicks, we should have fruit.

Dana: I'm not the caterer, Natalie.[yelling]Dave, Kim, please make sure that they're moving the desks to the right place!

Natalie: People get hungry, they're tired of cheese, and oh look!There's an apple!

Dana: Will, don't forget we need chairs!

Will [OS]: Got it!

Natalie: Or a banana!Right there in a basket next to the sodas!

[They go into the booth, where Elliot and Chris are checking something on the monitors.There is a very large bouquet of flowers where Dana usually sits.]

Dana: Elliot, what are these flowers doing here?

Elliot: I don't know where to put them.

Natalie: Maybe some plums.What I'm saying is, we should have fruit.

Dana: Well, put them in the editing room or something, because I'm going to need this space.

Elliot: Right. [picks up flowers and leaves]

Dana: [turns to Natalie very deliberately] I will try to see if there is fruit.I can't promise anything.

Natalie: Okay. [leaves as Isaac enters]

Isaac: Dana-

Dana: Hold on a sec.Chris, tell Graphics we need to move San Antonio to the 40s to make room for Denver.[Chris nods.]Yes, Isaac.

Isaac: Have you eaten today?

Dana: A little.

Isaac: When?

Dana: Around noon.

Isaac: That's ten hours ago!

Dana: Well, I've been busy.

Isaac: Dana, eat something, things are going fine, you can take a few minutes to eat.

Dana: If I eat I'll throw up.

Isaac: If you don't eat you'll pass out.

Dana: So we're at a stalemate.

Isaac: Dana, relax.

Dana: I can't relax, Isaac.

Isaac: Dana-

Dana: No, Isaac, I can't.Calvin Trager is going to be at this party tonight.He's going to be at the show tonight.That's a lot of pressure, to try and impress the guy who saved your job.

Isaac: The reason he saved it in the first place is that you already impressed him.

Dana: But everything has to be perfect.

Isaac: It will be.

Dana: I need to make sure.[Checks her watch.]I'm running behind.[Leaves. Isaac sighs.]

[Scene: Conference room]

[Calvin Trager, Kim, Sam, Josh, Donna, Man]

[Trager sits in the conference room, reading _On the Road._Kim opens the door and shows Sam, Josh, and Donna in.]

Kim: You can wait in here til the start of the show.

[Trager looks up and sees Sam as he enters.]

Sam: Thanks.

Trager [conversational]: Sam.

Sam: Calvin?

[Trager stands, he and Sam shake hands.]

Trager: You're in Washington now.

Sam: Yeah, I'm writing things that other people say.

Trager: You always were a wordy son of a bitch.

Sam: That's why the judges liked me.

Trager: Lucky for James.

[Josh and Donna are by now looking politely confused.]

Sam: Josh, Donna, this is Calvin Trager, I represented his brother about seven years ago.

Trager: [as he shakes with them both] People seemed to think that the paper from his mill was giving off toxic fumes.They were wrong.

Josh: And what do you do?

Trager: Well, for a start, I own this station.

Donna: That's impressive.

Trager: Thanks.

Sam: Josh is the Deputy Chief of Staff, and Donna is his assistant.

Trager: Out of curiosity, Josh, and I don't mean this flippantly at all, but what does your job entail?

Josh: I have absolutely no idea.

Trager: Our country is in good hands.

Donna: Especially with Sam telling the President what to say.

[A man in a blue uniform pushing a cart opens the door and enters.]

Man: We gotta set up in here.

Trager: Ah, yes.Josh, Donna, Sam, let's take a walk around.I'll show you some of the ins and outs of Sports Night.

Sam: Geez, Calvin, you act like you own the- oh.

[Scene: The desk / the booth]

[Dan, Casey, Natalie, Liv, Sam, Josh, Donna, Trager]

[It's nearly showtime.Dan has trouble sitting still; Casey is pretending to act like an older brother, but obviously he's just as excited.]

Dan: Do you know who's going to be here tonight?

Casey: Lots and lots of people?

Dan: Cal Ripken Jr.

Casey [impressed]: Really?

Dan: The Iron Man.

Casey: 2131.

Dan: Cal Ripken Jr!

Casey: How much time we got?

Dan: Five minutes.

Casey [calling]: Dana?

Dana [in booth]: Five minutes, Casey.

[Casey nods.]

Liv [OS]: Casey!

[Liv, wearing a jacket and looking a bit rumpled, runs to the desk and hugs Casey from behind.She does the same to Dan, who smiles.]

Liv: I made it!

Casey: Was there any doubt?

Liv: The flight kept getting delayed, there are huge storms in Nebraska as we speak.

Casey: Tornadoes?  
Liv: Thunderstorms with hail the size of Rush Limbaugh.

Dan: That's big.

Liv: I'm gonna go watch the show.[Grins and goes to the cameras as Sam, Josh, Donna and Trager enter.Dan looks up and notices them.]

Dan: Looks like we've got quite an audience for this one.[Casey looks up, sees them, and waves to Josh and Donna; they and Sam go over, but Trager remains behind, smiling a bit.]

Josh: Hey, guys.

Dan: Nice to see you again Josh, Donna.

Donna: Dan and Casey, this is Sam Seaborn, the Deputy Communications director.

Sam [shaking hands with Dan and Casey]: Great to meet you, I'm a big fan.

Dan [to Casey]: Hear that?We've got another one.

Donna: Congratulations on a great third year, guys.

[Natalie comes out from the booths with papers in her hands.She goes around Josh, Sam, and Donna and gives them to Dan and Casey.Sam stares at her.]

Natalie: Guys, just so you know, Jack's in Charlotte, not Kelly.It's on the prompter.

Casey: Gotcha.

[Natalie flashes a quick smile to the assembled group.Josh, Donna, and Sam make their way back over to where Trager is standing; Sam, for his part, looks as if he's in mild shock.]

Donna: Sam?

Sam [quietly]: Who was that?

Trager: Her name's Natalie.

[Sam nods as if mute.Josh chuckles.]

Sam [finding his voice]: She's pretty.

Josh: Sam, please don't be offended if I never ask you to write me a speech.

Cameraguy: In three, two…

Dan: Good evening, welcome to Sports Night on CSC, where it looks like third year's a charm.That's right, this is the third anniversary of our show's first broadcast, so you can send flowers and well-wishes care of Continental Corp.

Casey: In the meantime, we'll visit San Antonio, Denver, and Charlotte, and still have enough time to go to Houston.Because we're just that good.

Dan: I'm Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall, you're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around.


	2. The Party

[Scene: The Oval Office]

[Scene: Studio / Booth]

[Basically everyone is in this scene.]

[The show is finishing up.Liv, Trager, and the White House people are smiling; Trager especially looks pleased.]

Casey: …while Lee Janzen's tee shot landed him an ace at the 17th at Pebble Beach, securing his win and utterly flabbergasting the then leading Tiger Woods.Dan?

Dan: That's all for us, but we'll be back on Monday.And right now, Casey and I are going to have a party.You've been watching Sports Night on CSC, have a good night.

Casey: Good night.

[Booth]

Dave: We're out.

Dana [standing and removing her earpiece]: Good show.

Natalie: No.

Dana: What?

Natalie: It was a _great show._

[Studio]

[Dan and Casey stand as Liv makes her way over to them.]

Liv: That was fun!

Dan: You like that, huh?

Liv: I'm going to be doing this someday.

Casey: I just bet.

Dan: So explain to me again why we have to change?

Casey: It's just… something we do.

Dan: I'm already wearing a suit.

Casey: I know.

Dan: It's a nice suit.

Casey: Very nice.

Dan [gesturing]: Goes with my eyes.

Casey [explaining to Liv]: Apparently it's bad etiquette to appear at a party in the same clothes you broadcast in.

Dan: No one will care.

Casey: Dana will.

Dan: One person out of the several billion that will be here this evening.

Casey: Know who's going to be here?

Dan: Cal Ripken Jr?

Casey: Besides him.

Dan: Who?

Casey: Marion Jones.

Dan: I'll go change.

Casey [to his departing form]: Good man.

Liv: Marion Jones?

Casey: Yep.

Liv: The Olympic track runner Marion Jones?

Casey: The very one.Dan's got… kind of a crush on her.

Liv: I wonder if she'll be wearing a skirt.

Casey: Do you?

Liv: She's got great legs.

Casey: Runners tend to.

[Booth]

Dana: I'm going to go change my clothes. Dave, Elliot, please make sure everything's in some semblance of order.

Natalie: Dana, please be calm.

Dana: Once things get started, I will calm down.

Natalie: You have nothing to worry about.

Dana [pauses]: That's right.

Natalie: Things are fine.

Dana: Things are…fine, yes, they are just finely fine.Fine. [Nods in a distracted sort of way and walks into the hallway where she immediately crashes into Trager.He smiles at her, she freaks out.]

Dana: Oh, my God, I am so sorry.

Trager: It's okay.

Dana: I was-

Trager: Walking very quickly.

Dana: -not watching where I was going-

Trager: I wasn't watching where you were going either.

Dana: I am so sorry-

Trager: Dana, relax, it's fine.

Dana [takes a deep breath]: Okay.Yes.I'm going to go change my clothes now.

Trager: You look fine.

Dana: Be that as it may, I'm going to change my clothes now.

Trager: Into what?

Dana: A dress.

Trager: You're already wearing a dress.

Dana: This is a skirt.

Trager: Close enough.

[Dana begins to walk away.]

Trager: Dana.

[She turns.]

Trager: It was a good show tonight.

Dana [smiling]: Thank you.

[She turns and begins to walk away again, and momentarily braces herself against the wall.Trager sees this but doesn't comment.Dana leaves.After a moment, so does Trager.]

[Scene: Back in the booth]

[Natalie, Jeremy]

Natalie: Why aren't you going to change your clothes?

Jeremy: Because-

Natalie: Everyone else is going to.

Jeremy: I don't give into peer pressure.Besides, I'm a guy, no one cares what I wear.

Natalie: Dan and Casey are guys, they're changing.

Jeremy: They're famous. No one's seen me today but you guys.

Natalie: You're not very dressed up.[He's wearing what he usually does, shirt and tie, etc.There is a jacket hanging on the back of his chair.]

Jeremy: Observe.[He picks up the jacket and puts it on.]Voila.Wearin' a suit.

Natalie: I hate you. [leaves]

[Jeremy shakes his head, chuckling.]

[Scene: Dana's office / Party Area {which includes the area outside Dan and Casey's office, and the conference room]

[We begin in Dana's office.Dana is putting in an earring – she has changed clothes – and looking smashing.Her dress may look however you want it to, but it should match the blue scarf {_Author's note: the one Donna gave her in "Simply Unpredictable"} she wears draped around her shoulders.Natalie knocks and enters.She has too changed clothes… and if Sam thought she was pretty before, he should see her now.Don't worry, he will.]_

Dana: Are they here?  
Natalie: There must be a hundred people out there.Dana… you look spectacular.

Dana: Thank you.You too.

[Natalie self-consciously smooths her dress.]

Natalie: Thanks.

Dana: Is everything all right out there?

Natalie: Everything's perfect.And guess what?

Dana: I can only guess.

Natalie: There's fruit.

Dana: Well thank God for that.

[Isaac knocks and enters.]

Isaac: Dana, Natalie, you two clean up real good.Now why don't you get your butts out here and join this party?

[Dana takes his arm.]

Dana: Let's go. 

[They all three smile and go, via continuous shot, into the main party area.]

[Description time.As was mentioned before, this is the area outside Dan and Casey's office, the place where are usually many, many desks and things.No more.They've all been cleared out to an undisclosed location where they will remain until after the party.The lights are not as bright as they usually are, and music – probably jazz or swing for now – plays somewhat quietly in the background.As far as people go, well, there certainly is a crowd.You can have fun with this.Josh was right in the beginning- there are definitely sports people here.You can imagine whoever you want, except Dennis Rodman or professional wrestlers.A few people are dancing, many more are standing or sitting and talking.The doors to the conference room are open, and that's where most of the refreshments are.For now, that's where we go.Jeremy is draining a glass of water as Donna enters.]

Donna: Hey, Jeremy.

Jeremy: Donna!I wasn't expecting to see you.

Donna: I'm just full of surprises. Josh and Sam are here too.

Jeremy: Sam?Oh, Sam Seaborn, the one you've mentioned before?

Donna: Yep, that Sam.

Jeremy: Huh.[Sees the fruit bowl on the table.]"Do I dare to eat a peach?"[Dares.]

Donna: What?

Jeremy: It's from a T.S. Eliot poem called "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

Donna: Prufrock?

Jeremy: J. Alfred Prufrock will never be understood by anyone.He stays in his room in an eternal present even as he grows old, and "In the room the women come and go, talking of Michaelangelo."

Donna: Are they eating peaches?

Jeremy: Damned if I know.

Donna: Sounds kinda depressing.

Jeremy [shrugging]: That's Eliot for you.

[Main area]

[Josh and Sam are standing by the window.Sam is trying not to stare at Natalie {and is failing miserably}, who is standing across the room talking to some sports person.Dan is standing near her, and every so often looks up to see Sam looking in their direction.]

Josh: You should dance with her.

Sam: No I shouldn't.

Josh: Yes, you should.

Sam: Stop it!

Josh: You're a good-looking guy, she'll say yes.

Sam: She doesn't know who I am.

[Sam turns and looks out the window for a moment, and Josh gestures to Dan, somehow communicating to him to bring Natalie over.Dan grins and complies.]

Dan: Hey, guys.Natalie, you've met Josh, right?[Sam whips around.]

Natalie [shaking hands with Josh]: Yes, the last time he was here.

Dan: How about Sam?

Natalie [now shaking with Sam, who looks a trifle dazed]: No.

Sam: I'm Sam.

Natalie: Yes, and I'm Natalie.

Sam: Nice to meet you.

[Sally approaches the group.Josh looks startled at her sudden appearance.]

Dan [keeping a somewhat fixed smile]: Sally.

Sally: Dan, are you going to introduce me?

Dan: Josh Lyman, Sam Seaborn, meet Sally Sasser, she's the producer of West Coast Update.

Sally [to Sam]: We have the same initials, did you notice?

Sam: Mm?

Sally: I said we have the same initials.

Dan: Man, Sally, they're not kidding when they say you're the life of the party.

Sally [ignoring him]: Some coincidence, isn't it?

Natalie: Not really.Casey has the same initials as Colin Montgomerie.

Sam: And Chico Marx.

Natalie: And my mom has the same initials as Audrey Hepburn.

Josh: I have the same initials as James Little.

Sally: Who's that?

Josh: Kid I went to high school with.He was a real geek.

Sally: Fascinating.

[Trager comes up to them, smiling a bit.]

Trager: Hey, Sam, Josh can I borrow you for a minute?

Sam: Sure.

[Trager leads them through the crowd to the other side of the room and into the conference room.]

Sam: What's up?

Trager: Just rescuing you from Sally.I'd advise getting a glass of punch or something so she won't see you for a few minutes.

Sam: Um… thanks.

Trager: Trust me, it's for the best.

Josh: I think I believe you.

Trager: Good.[Starts to leave.]Oh, and if my first name were Quincy, I'd have the same initals as Quentin Tarantino.[Leaves.]

Josh: Interesting guy.

Sam: Yeah.[Looks around distractedly, and absently eats a cookie.]

Josh: Ask Natalie to dance.

Sam: No!

Josh: C'mon.

Sam: No.

Josh: C'_mon. [elbows him]_

Sam: Josh, I believe you graduated from high school several years ago.

Josh: Why won't you?

Sam: Because… [waves vaguely in the general direction of the door]

Josh: I am _so glad we've got you as Deputy Communications Director-_

Sam [tersely]: And you've made that joke about twenty-five times now.

Josh: It never loses its fun.[Sam ignores him.]Oh, come on, she isn't seeing anyone- well, not really.

Sam: What does that mean and how do you know?

Josh: Which question do you want me to answer first?

Sam: Either one.

Josh: I know because Donna and Jeremy correspond.

Sam: Correspond?

Josh: They write letters or something; he tells her about the goings-on at Sports Night, she breaches national security.Anyway, what I mean is that Natalie is, for all intents and purposes, available to at least dance with you.

Sam: Somehow I get the impression that you aren't telling me everything.

Josh: She's… got this on-again-off-again relationship with Jeremy… they see each other, but other people too, it's hard to explain.

["Isn't This A Lovely Day" {from "Top Hat"} starts to play.Donna runs in.]

Donna: Joshua.

Josh: Donnatella.

Donna: You should dance with me.

Josh: Why?  
Donna: Cos I said so.

Josh: Uh-

Donna: Also because I like this song, and I can't find Casey.

Josh: Boy, I feel special.[Donna grabs his arm and drags him out to the main area, where we follow, as Sam remains in the conference room.]

[Josh and Donna begin dancing, but we'll ignore them for now.Nearby, Dan and Liv are dancing, and also Trager and Dana.Dana looks a bit nervous, but Trager seems perfectly at ease.]

Trager: Something wrong?

Dana: No.

Trager: This is a good song.

Dana: Yes.

Trager: Irving Berlin.

Dana: I know.[Shakes her head quickly.]

Trager: Dana?

Dana: Hmm?

Trager: You sure you're all right?

Dana: I'm fine.

[Over to Dan and Liv.]

Dan: Wasn't this in a movie?

Liv: Top Hat.

Dan: With Ginger Rogers and Frank Sinatra?

Liv: Fred Astaire.

Dan: That's the one.

Liv: That's the one.

Dan: What did Frank Sinatra do?

Liv: He sang.Crooned.Had blue eyes.Whatever.

Dan: He was a sailor.

Liv: Was he?

Dan: In that movie.

Liv: Anchors Aweigh, or On the Town?

Dan: I don't remember.

Liv: No, what I mean to say is that he was a sailor in both.

Dan [after a pause]: You think he ever did any sailing in real life?

Liv: I couldn't say.

[Back to Dana and Trager.Dana looks decidedly distant now.]

Trager: Dana.

Dana: Mm?

Trager: Are you awake?

Dana [laughing a little]: I'm sorry, yes, I am.Um, thanks for the dance.

Trager: Anytime.

[Dana heads away, and gets exactly two steps before passing out.Trager catches her, looking like he expected this.]

[Casey, meantime, has just come out of the conference room when:]

Trager [OS]: Casey.

[He stands besides Casey, carrying Dana.]

Casey: Oh, my G- what happened?

Trager: She fainted.I should know this, but where's the nearest couch?

Casey: Dan's and my office, this way.

[Leads him around the crowd, many of whom are looking at them curiously, to the office and lets them in.]

Casey: I'll get her a glass of water.

Trager: Good idea.[He puts Dana on the couch, and for the first time, he looks genuinely at a loss.Hesitantly, he puts a hand on her forehead as if feeling for temperature.Natalie enters and starts to say something, but Trager interrupts.]

Trager: She fainted.

Natalie: When?

Trager: About a minute ago.

Natalie: And… what, you're trying to take her temperature?

Trager: I've never been around a person that's fainted before.

[Casey enters with a cup of water and a small plate with cheese and a cookie on it.]

Natalie: Cheese?

Casey: I panicked, it was the first thing I saw.

Trager: So, what now?

[Natalie takes the cup from Casey and flicks a few drops into Dana's face.She awakens and starts to sit up, but Natalie prevents her.]

Natalie: Here, drink this.

Dana: Ugh… [Drinks the water.Her eyes fly open as she sees Trager and Casey there.]Oh, God…

[Casey hands her the plate.]

Dana: Thanks… cheese?

Casey: There's a cookie there too!

Dana: What happened?

Trager: You passed out.I'm guessing it wasn't because I'm an overwhelming dancer.

Dana: Um-

Casey: Dana, when's the last time you slept or ate?

Dana: I've been sleeping just fine, thank you.

Casey: Eat.

[Obediently, Dana nibbles on the cookie.]

Dana [muttering]: This is so embarrassing.

Natalie: If you need anything, let us know.[Dana nods as Natalie shoos Trager and Casey out and then shuts the door behind them.]

[Back to the main area, continuous]

[Sam approaches Trager and, because she is still there, Natalie.]

Sam: Calvin?Is everything all right?I heard-

Trager: Dana's resting.

Sam: Oh.

Natalie: Have you met Dana yet?

Sam: No, but now's probably not the best time.

Natalie: You're right.

[There is a brief pause, during which Sam tries desperately to come up with something to say.As Natalie begins to walk away:]

Trager: So, you know what Sam noticed?

[Natalie turns back as Sam looks in startled panic at Trager.Trager, for his part, is smiling and pays no attention to Sam's sudden glare.]

Natalie: What did you notice?

[Sam looks back at Natalie, floundering a bit, until:]

Sam: There's fruit.

Natalie [enthusiastically]: There's fruit!

Sam: I thought it was a little strange.Just a basket of fruit, no… toothpicks or skewers or anything.

Natalie: Skewers?Like… fruit kebabs?

Sam: Sort of like that, yeah.

Natalie: I'm glad there's fruit.I've been telling Dana all day that there should be some.

Trager: And I'm sure _that didn't bug her._

Natalie: No, because she was ignoring me most of the time.

Sam: Ignoring a call for fruit?

Natalie: I know, can you believe it?

Sam: Hardly.

[Trager scans the crowd quickly.]

Sam: Who are you looking for?

Trager: Sally.

Sam: That woman is frightening.[Trager and Natalie chuckle.]I'm not kidding, she's… she's way too tall.

Natalie: Yes.

Sam: And fixated on initials.

Trager: Well, you two _do have the same initials._

Sam: I don't care.Why are you looking for her?

Trager [vaguely]: Just because.Oh, never mind.

[Sally approaches them.]

Sally: There you are!

Natalie: Where who is?

Sally [talking to Sam]: You just kind of disappeared there.

Sam: I do that.I'm stealthy.

Sally: Stealthy.

Sam: I could be a superhero, but I decided that the White House was a better venue for my talents.

Natalie: Sally, did you realize that you and Sam have the same initials as Soupy Sales?

[Sam and Trager laugh.Sally looks perplexed and gives Natalie a tight little smile.]

Sally: Thanks. 

Natalie: Anytime.

Sally: So, Sam, would you care to dance?

[Sam opens his mouth to reply, trying his best not to look frightened, but-]

Natalie: He can't.

[Sally and Sam look at her.]

Sally: He can't dance?

Natalie: Well, that I don't know, but what I meant was that he's promised me this next one.[She smiles at the dumbfounded Sam and takes his arm, heading toward the dancing crowd.Sally watches them for a moment and turns back to Trager, only to find that he is gone.]

[Scene: Dan and Casey's office.]

[Dana, Trager]

[Dana is sitting on the couch still, staring out the window.Trager slips quickly through the door and stands there for a few moments before Dana notices him.]

Dana: Hi.

Trager: Hey.How you feeling?

Dana: Better, thank you.

Trager: Well, you look pretty miserable.[Dana, insulted, starts to respond.]I mean upset.

Dana: I just fainted in front of a whole lot of people.I'm a little embarrassed.

Trager: Have you ever fainted before?

Dana: No.

Trager: Well, see, it was bound to happen sooner or later.There's a first time for everything.

Dana: Did it have to be tonight?

Trager: You've got some color back to your face.

[Dana's hand goes to her cheek, as if trying to ascertain that he's right.]

Dana: Good.

Trager: Dana, why didn't you eat today?

Dana: I didn't have time.

Trager: You didn't have time?

Dana: I didn't have time.

Trager: You couldn't have just grabbed something and eaten it during rundown, or something?

Dana: I didn't think about it.

Trager [smiling]: You're changing your answer, ma'am.

Dana: Listen-

Trager: Dana, you thought about it.And you had plenty of time.

Dana [giving in]: I ate around noon.I had a cheese sandwich, and a little later I threw it up.

Trager: Are you sick?

Dana: No, it was nerves, and I decided I shouldn't try it again unless I was feeling more relaxed.

Trager: What were you so nervous about?

Dana: The fact that some very, very important people were going to be here tonight.Sports figures and network people.

Trager: Do I make you nervous?

Dana: Well-

Trager: Because I try to come off as nonthreatening.

Dana: You don't make me nervous, talking like this.Calvin Trager, owner of this station, makes me nervous.

Trager: Then I'll have to change my name.

Dana: Wh-

Trager: Dan Rydell's a good name, but it's taken.Listen, Dana, you have nothing to worry about.You think I'm going to change my mind about Sports Night?It's not going to happen, unless you hire a stapler and a dalmation to replace Dan and Casey.But if things keep up even a quarter as good as they were tonight, you'll still have a great show.

Dana [after a pause]: Oh.

[Trager motions for her to get up off the couch.Dana does so.]

Trager: C'mon, people are asking for you.[Dana smiles.]

[He leads her into the main area, and we pan over to Josh and Dan, who are watching Natalie and Sam.]

Josh: Look at them.

[Dan chuckles a little.Natalie is looking over Sam's shoulder (like any good dance partner), and Sam is smiling at her hair.]

Dan: Y'know, Josh, next time bring a woman with you.

Josh: I brought Donna this time.

Dan: You can bring her, but I meant a different woman.

Josh: Why?

Dan: Now, don't get me wrong, I like Donna just fine, but see, there's a pattern developing.Donna comes the first time, she has a thing for Casey.Sam comes the second time, he has a thing for Natalie.I figure I'm bound to be in the running sooner or later.

Josh: Hey, you never know, maybe I have a thing for you.

Dan: I'm not your type.

[Josh laughs.]

Josh: I'm just trying to picture you with CJ…

Dan: Is she attractive?

Josh: Oh, yeah, but she'd probably eat you alive.

Dan: I like a challenge.

Josh: You want a challenge, I'll bring Toby.

Dan: Is Toby a woman?

Josh [chuckling]: Not at all.

Dan: Bring CJ.

[Sally approaches the two of them, smiling a little too sweetly.Wordlessly, she hands Dan a folded $50 bill and walks away.Dan and Josh grin at each other.]

[The music quiets and Trager's voice can be heard calling over the crowd.]

Trager: Everyone!May I have your attention please![The room's occupants turn and face him; he is standing by the window, and there is a table behind him upon which rests a large cake.]

Trager: [gesturing to the cake] We're going to cut this thing now, but first I want Isaac to say a few words.

[Isaac stands beside Trager.]

Isaac: Three years is a long time.It's 1,095 days.26, 280 hours.1,576,800 minutes.I could go on, but I think you get the idea.My point is, for that amount of time, we've had people at this station that think and talk and live sports ten hours out of every day, if not more than that.We've had hard times and trying times in these past three years, but for the most part we've had good times.Let's keep it up.And now, let's get this damn thing cut.

[People cheer and applaud.Josh wades through the crowd to Sam and Natalie, followed closely by Donna.]  
Josh: We should probably go.

Sam [checking his watch]: Yeah…

Natalie: Hang on.[She leaves and comes back fairly quickly, handing Sam a napkin with some writing on it.]

Sam: What's this?

Natalie: Write me a letter.

Sam: What?

Natalie [smiling]: Write me a letter.

Sam: Okay.[He smiles.]

[Fade to title, then to black.]


End file.
